“In addition to reaching out to potential new clients, we wanted to prompt our clients who didn’t receive color to think about getting this service during the fall months, and encourage clients who do get color to think about a new twist,” says Wendy White McCown. Taking advantage of having live models at a styling class, she took pictures of the beautiful hair color work and used them to create an ad campaign for local magazines, as well as an in-salon campaign. During the campaign, each station featured “Fall-into-Color” cards, and a chalkboard over the front desk displayed the ad. The cost was minimal: $15 to decorate the chalkboard, $50 for the station signs, and $250 per magazine ad. The salon saved on ad costs by designing the ad themselves.

RADIO COMMERCIAL

Hair Police

IMPRESSIONSMEQUON, WISCONSINOWNED BY: KITTY TIERNEY

By hiring a Joan Rivers impersonator, Impressions spoofed the show Fashion Police in a comical radio commercial that had Rivers reviewing hair cuts and steering listeners to Impressions to avoid a ticket. With sirens in the background, Rivers says, “Her hair was such a disaster, Courtney Love looked at her and said, ‘Sweetie, let me help you.’”

Tierney followed the radio ad with a series of print ads that looked like hair violation tickets. The ads could be clipped out and passed onto friends and family. The tongue-in-cheek violation ordered: “You are hereby summoned to appear at Impressions. Failure to comply will result in snickering, finger pointing, nick-naming, public shaming or, in some cases, viral internet videos.

Although Tierney says she blew her budget on the radio ads, she reaped the benefits of hearing hundreds of people mention the ad. “Our total sales for November and December were up $100,000 and the salon’s new guest count was up 10 percent.”

After negotiating air time as part of a trade agreement for their part in a radio promotion, Paris Parker and Imaginal Marketing designed this radio spot to mimic the word-of-mouth scenario that attracts clients to a salon. Copy for the ad was inspired by the results of informal focus groups of men and women who expressed anxiety about having to buy the right holiday gift for their significant other. The answer, according to Paris Parker: a spa gift card.

Owner Debra Neill Baker provided the voice for the ad: “Women need and are looking for a few more moments alone to rejuvenate their bodies after a tough day, to soothe frayed emotions, usually so they can take better care of you. When you give the gift of a spa experience, it expresses more thought, more caring. You’re really giving this person that you love an invitation, even permission, to take care of themselves. This is a true gift.”

This ad was created to cut through the noise of radio chatter and speak to thousands of listeners intending to buy a Christmas gift in the near future,” says Neill Baker. “It ran 31 times during the six days leading up to Christmas, and the total investment for the radio campaign was $1,150.”

TELEVISION COMMERICAL

Beauty on a Budget

ERIC FISHER ACADEMYWICHITA, KANSASOWNED BY: ERIC AND MARY FISHER

As a cosmetology school, Eric Fisher Academy’s marketing efforts are split between recruiting for students and for clients. In an effort to attract new clients and promote the student salon and spa, Eric Fisher partnered with Sunflower Broadcast Group to create a television commercial that featured students performing services at the academy. Using the tagline “Do Beauty on a Budget,” the commercial informs viewers that services are offered at a discounted rate and encourages them to check the academy’s website for monthly promotions, packages and coupons. The commercial began running in 2011, and that year ushered in 22,391 clients. Copy for the commercial was written by Alexis Salas, Eric Fisher Academy’s marketing manager, and the producer of the commercials was Eddie Gilmer.

This past holiday season, Interlocks developed a direct mail campaign that ensured target clients got exactly what they wanted for the holidays, while providing a stress-free shopping tool to their spouses. Project Manager Jordan Eramo designed a simple Wish List that was accessible throughout the salon during the month of December. When clients completed their wish lists of products and services, they were mailed to their significant others with a special invitation to the salon’s Men’s Night event, which served hors d’oeuvres and scotch and brandy, offered special discounts and helped men with their shopping. “The men enjoyed stress-free shopping, clients got great gifts, and we enjoyed record-breaking holiday sales!” says Eramo.

Although Impressions creates thousands of postcards each year, Downside #73: “We use clever humor to maintain the message that we are trendy, but comfortable and fun,” says Tierney. “We print about 1,500 cards a month, and place them in new client and donation bags, pass them around town, and use them as thank you cards.” the salon doesn’t mail many. Instead, future professionals are recruited to give them out at community events and gathering places, like the local theatre. With its Downside campaign, the salon designed multiple postcards that showcased the inherent “problems” that come with a great hair style. Your ex could begin calling again. Or, Downside #55: No one will believe you qualify for senior discounts.